


Have yourself a very grumpy Christmas

by stjarna



Series: 25 Days Christmas Romance Challenge and AoS Advent 2017 [11]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 25 Days of Christmas Prompt Challenge, F/M, Fluff, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 17:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13012221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: From the25 Days of Christmas Romance ChallengeDay 14: Character A can’t travel to see their family on Christmas, so they invite their grumpy loner neighbor Character B.





	Have yourself a very grumpy Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to @dilkirani for the beta.

“Yes, Mum, I realize it’s unfortunate, but it just isn’t sensible to travel to Sheffield for only two days. You know that. … Of course I will miss you greatly, and Dad and Liam and the girls, but… No, Mum, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me… I won’t be lonely. Don’t be ridiculous. I live by myself every day… Yes, my friends will be with their families, but… No, Mum. I will be fine and we’ll skype and I will spend a few quiet and relaxing days at my apartment before work starts up again… Yes, Mum, I promise I will be fine. Now, how about a change of topic?”

* * *

She didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Of course she didn’t mean to. But he was talking rather loudly on the phone right in front of the mailboxes, effectively blocking her from accessing hers, and so she couldn’t help but overhear.

“There’s no way I can make it for Christmas and back again, Mum… I know… Yes, I know how long it’s been… I’m not happy about it either, but they couldn’t give me time off. The project is too important. None of us got time off, Mum… Yes, I know you can’t come, I don’t expect you to… Mum… Mum, please. I… I’ll try to get time off once this ruddy project is done with and then I’ll come. I promise! … Yes. Scout’s honor… I gotta run, Mum… Yeah, I love you, too. Again. I’m sorry.”

He hung up, glanced at his watch, and rushed out the door, mumbling an apology to Jemma for blocking her mailbox in passing.

And just like that, Jemma formulated a plan.

* * *

He looked at her, a bit confused, squinting and holding onto the door to his flat as if he were prepared to slam it into her face at any second now. “Yes?”

Jemma smiled warmly, even though her fingers were nervously playing with each other. “You’re Leopold Fitz, right?”

“Yes.” He drew out the word, eyeing her skeptically as if he weren’t sure he’d done the right thing confirming his identity.

Jemma’s lips pulled even wider, as she gestured at herself. “I’m Jemma. Jemma Simmons. I live two stories down.”

“I know who you are,” he replied, grumpily.

“Oh,” Jemma exclaimed in surprise. “Alright, yes, of course. I wasn’t sure. I only moved in here—” She stopped herself when his eyes grew wider and more expectant. “Well, anyways, that’s really besides the point.”

He sighed, wrinkling his forehead, his hand still tightly gripping the door. “What’s _on_ the point then?”

Jemma chuckled briefly over his humorous remark, but the grumpy tone of his voice didn’t go unnoticed. “Well, I apologize profusely. It’s really not in my nature to eavesdrop, but yesterday, at the mailboxes, I couldn’t help but overhear—”

Fitz’s eyes widened even more.

“Well, I heard that you’re unable to visit your family over Christmas,” Jemma continued quickly, noticing her heartbeat become more erratic and nervous. She pressed her palm against her chest. “And I’m actually quite in the same predicament, and, well, I thought… I thought that maybe you’d like to join me for dinner Christmas Eve and then maybe a lovely late breakfast or brunch Christmas Morning? I mean it’s sad enough that we can’t be with our loved ones, isn’t it? No need to make it even more lonely when there’s the potential for company.”

Jemma smiled at Fitz, simultaneously hopeful and anxious.

He stared at her in silence for a moment, before furrowing his brow in disbelief. “You’re inviting me for dinner?”

“And brunch!” Jemma added cheerily, raising her index finger importantly.

Fitz gestured at himself. “You don’t know me.”

“Well.” Jemma grinned optimistically. “A lovely dinner and brunch are perfect opportunities to change that.”

Fitz stared at her wide-eyed for a moment, before once again pointing at himself. “I could be a serial killer or eat my own boogers or something.”

Jemma couldn’t help but chuckle over his odd choice of horrendous dinner guest options. She shrugged. “Well, are you? Or do you?”

“No, but—”

“Well, then I don’t have anything to worry about, do I now?” Jemma beamed at him.

Her smile grew even wider when the corner of Fitz’s mouth ticked up briefly and a short puff of air escaped his nose in amusement. He held her gaze for a moment longer, before drawing in a slow breath. “Alright.”

Jemma’s lips pulled ear to ear, her cheeks almost burning with joyous tension. “Excellent. How about 7 p.m. for Christmas Eve and then we can figure out a time for brunch.”

Fitz shrugged. “Alright.”

Jemma extended her hand in a reassuring manner. “No need for presents of course. Your company will be present enough.”

Fitz scoffed. “You’ve never spent time with me.”

Jemma shrugged, smiling happily. “Well, we’re about to change that.”

A barely noticeable half-smile appeared on Fitz’s face and his eyes lit up in amusement or amazement, Jemma couldn’t quite tell. “Are you always this cheery?”

“Most times. Who knows, maybe it’ll rub off on you?” she replied cheekily, before spinning around on her heels and heading back to her flat.

* * *

He showed up at 7 p.m. sharp on Christmas Eve with two bottles of wine, one white and one red (because he didn’t know what she’d prefer). He admired Jemma’s Christmas decorations and her adorable miniature-sized Christmas tree. He marveled over her cooking skills, and they talked and laughed all evening.

And they did eat brunch together the next day… in bed.


End file.
